The present invention generally relates to computers, and more particularly relates to personal computers, and even more particularly relates to methods and systems for visually differentiating industrial personal computers.
In recent years, industrial personal computers have become increasingly prevalent in many industries. It is not uncommon today to see rows of industrial PCs arranged in racks. While many of these industrial PCs are often designed and manufactured to higher standards than consumer PCs, they still are occasionally in need of repair. Typically, when a repair is needed, the PC is removed from the rack, taken to a computer repair facility, and repaired. However, the task of identifying the correct PC to be removed is often not a trivial task. With row upon row of virtually identically appearing PCs in floor to ceiling racks, it often is difficult to rapidly ascertain even the general area that a PC might be located. In the past, to address this problem, some industrial PC users have applied adhesive labels on the front panels of the PC, giving identifying information.
While these adhesive labels may have been used extensively in the past, they do have some drawbacks. First of all, they are prone to becoming detached from the PC. This can happen as a result of contact with persons moving about the racks or because of degradation of the adhesive bond.
Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for visually differentiating personal computers in a rack in an efficient manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for visually differentiating an industrial personal computer in an efficient manner.
It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a non-adhesive removable rigid visual differentiation plate.
It is another feature to provide the removable rigid visual differentiation plate in a color which is dissimilar from a color of the faceplate of the PC.
It is yet another feature of the present invention to provide a plurality of dissimilar colors for said removable rigid visual differentiation plates and to associate PC having common functional characteristics to a particular color.
It is yet another feature of the present invention to include a removal tool for assisting in rapid removal of the removable rigid visual differentiation plate.
It is an advantage of the present invention to achieve improved efficiency in differentiating industrial personal computers disposed in racks.
The present invention is an apparatus and method for visually differentiating industrial personal computers designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in an xe2x80x9cunintentional removal-lessxe2x80x9d manner in a sense that the accidental or otherwise unintentional removal of a visual differentiation plate due to a failure in an adhesive bond has been eliminated.
Accordingly, the present invention is a mechanical system and method including a non-adhesive removable rigid visual differentiation plate on a faceplate of an industrial computer.